Slidable bar ratchet wrench



A ril 29, 1952 A. E. MEYERS SLIDABLE BAR RATCHET WRENCH- Filed June 28. 1949 Patented Apr. 29, I952 2,594,964 SLIDABLE BAR RATCHET WRENCH Albert E..Meyers, Bridgeport, Conn assignor of one-half to Walter F. Ames, Jr., South Weymouth, Mass.

Application June 28, 1949, Serial No. 101,830

1 Claim. 1

My present invention is a novel and improved ratchet wrench to loosen or to apply nuts, bolts, or the like thru the use of a socket type wrench.

Objects of the invention are to have a quickly operable and powerful socket wrench handle operating as a sliding bar, with a ratchet to aiford repeated actions by rotating a pinion which will engage the socket wrench when applied to a nut. or bolt, and capable of use either for loosening or for tightening, as well as to afford a long leverage for the preliminary loosening or final tightening, as may be desired.

After the nut or bolt is first loosened by the use of the handle as a lever, so that the nut or bolt can be rotated easily, the lever then acts as a sliding ratchet bar to quickly rotate the loosened nut when removing same, as. well as to quickly rotate the same when applying the nut or bolt into fastening position; whereupon the lever action is again used for a final tightening operation.

My present sliding bar ratchet Wrench device is intended particularly for use. on loosening or tightening nuts, bolts, or studs in any position, particularly where the same are in a difiicult locations, as in the underneath part of engines, automobiles, aeroplanes, or the like where speed of operation and great power in either loosening or tightening is desired.

A further feature consists in the-facility with which the bar can he slid in reverse direction for repeated sliding action, momentarily disengaging the ratchet from operative connection with the rotatable pinion which engages and operates the socket wrench.

By merely reversing the engaging position, the pinion and socket wrench connection are moved in reverse direction of rotation, as will be further explained. I

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my present invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sliding bar in engagement with a socket wrench, which latter is fitted onto a bolt, nut, or stud for tightening the same;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view looking from the left of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the sliding bar disengaged from the pinion during the retractive movement.

As shown in the drawings, a sliding bar I has the line 2 a ball 2 at one end, and formed on one surface of the bar I is a rack 3 with the teeth therein slanting toward the left, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and adapted to engage corresponding teeth 4 ina pinion 5.

This pinion is mounted in bushings, preferably ball-bearings, as indicated at 6-6 and 7-1, engaged by an axle 8, said bushings being held in hubs iiiwelded or formed integral with a pair of side. frames I2I2, which side frames extend downwardly, spanning the sliding bar I and supporting in their lower portion a roll I5 mounted on an axle I6 extending thru the lower portions I3-.I3 of the side frames I2. The side frames l2.l2 and depending portions I3I3 are spaced to aiford an enclosure thru which the sliding bar I may freely pass, being engaged by the roller I5 on the lower side and with the teeth 3 of the rack bar, and 4 in the pinion, in engagement when moving to the left, viewing Figs. 1, 3, and 5.

The rack bar I, however, may be rocked slightly on the roller l5 so as to disengage the teeth 3 and l to retract the bar I quickly when it has been moved to the extreme line of travel to the left, viewing Fig. 1, and thus turn lengthwise to re-engage the teeth 4 of the pinion 5 for continued. rotative. action. Preferably, the roller I5 is grooved, as best shown in Fig. 4, to fit approximately the contour of the bottom portion of the bar I, and in this bottom portion of the bar I is formed a longitudinal groove I8, which groove is adapted to receive a guide tongue 20, formed as a projection on an inturned flange 2| formed integral with or welded to the lower part I3 of one of the side frames.

Also attached to the flange 2| by screw 24 is a spring 25, bent as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, to normally bear against the lower portion of the sliding bar I and hold the upper part of the same with the teeth 3 in yielding engagement with the teeth 4 of the pinion 5, while permitting rocking of the bar I downwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, to disengage the teeth for quick retraction of the bar I, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The axle 8 of the pinion 5 extends beyond each of the bearings 10 and is formed with a square or hexagonal contour 28-48 to fit the corresponding top 29 of the socket wrench 38, which wrench is of approximate diameter to engage the head 3| of a bolt, nut, or stud 32 to be loosened from or tightened to a fixed part, as indicated generally at 33.

In order to hold the rack pinion 5, I provide a pawl 35 integral with or secured to the axle 33 extending thru the adjacent portions of the side frames III-I; and in order to press the pawl into engagement with the teeth 4 of the pinion 5, I provide a pair of wire springs -40, which are suitably secured to-the pawl and may have their opposite ends engaged under an opening in the hub ID, as indicated at 4 I Fig. 5.

The groove I8 extends lengthwise of the bar I, as above explained, opposite the teeth 3 excepting at the extreme end of the left, viewing Fig. 1, when the groove is ended, thus leaving the bar complete at this point and constituting a stop in which the guide tongue 20 will prevent complete withdrawal of the bar I from the assembly of the apparatus.

Also, I prefer to make a slight cut -45 in the side frames I2, see Figs. 4 and 5, and to curve over the adjacent part of the side frame at this cut portion as shown at 46-46 and, thus, tend to hold the bar I in assembled position during its sliding action, while permitting the slight rocking action as indicated at Fig. 5 to disengage the teeth 3 and 4 durin the retractive movement of the bar.

I prefer, also, to form a housing 50, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, which may encircle a part of the apparatus, leaving the ends 28 projecting, which cover facilitates holding the central part of the apparatus in the hand of the operator, while the other hand actuates the bar by the pawl 2.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily appreciated from the foregoing description and drawings. The operator will fit a socket wrench 30 onto the square end 28 and then apply the socket 30 to a nut or bolt 32, holding the central portion of the apparatus in the left hand and operate the rack bar I with the right hand grasping the ball 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the socket and wrench are positioned to tighten the nut 32, viz. turned in a clockwise direction when the rack bar I is moved to the left. To loosen or move the nut 32, in a counterclockwise direction, the apparatus is reversed and the opposite end 28 is fitted in the socket 30.

When in either position, reverse or otherwise, the wrench can be used as a lever wrench with the full length of the bar I, or as a ratchet wrench to loosen or tighten a nut, and as a speed wrench by rapid rotation after a'nut is loosened or when first applied.

With the bolt 32 fitted into the tapped recess of the work 33, the bar I is moved to the left and when the line of travel of the interconnecting teeth 3 and 4 of bar and pawl reach the limit afforded by the rack bar I, the bar may then be tilted slightly and retracted to the extreme righthand position and again moved to the left.

This line of travel will permit six to eight revolutions of the pawl 5 and, hence, of the socket 30. When the head 3I of the bolt 32 is in engagement with the work 33 or if more force is required, the bar I can be used as a lever and being interlocked with the teeth in the pinion, the full force of the length of the bar I employed to give a final tightening action to the socket 30 and head 3|.

In order to release a previously tightened nut, stud, or screw, the apparatus is reversed in order to turn the socket 30 in a counterclockwise position, and in order to start a tightly driven head, the lever action can also be exerted to loosen the head and then the further rotation of the socket and bolt effected by the longitudinal sliding action of the bar I.

Thus, I have provided a quick rotative movement in either direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, in combination with the advantages of a lever action for exerting increased power. My device is most useful where a difficult position is involved, such for example as the nuts or bolts holding the bottom crank case in an automobile, engine, and the advantages of both a lever operation and a quick rotative movement is afforded, as well as a ratchet wrench operation.

I claim:

A slidable bar ratchet wrench apparatus of the kind described, comprising a frame, means supporting the bar so that it may make longitudinal reciprocated movements thru said frame, ratchet teeth on one side of the bar, and a longitudinal groove opposite thereto and lengthwise of said bar, a roll mounted in said frame in supporting contact with the grooved side of the bar, a pinion having teeth in normal engagement with said ratchet teeth, a pawl to hold said pinion against reverse rotation, said pinion having an axle extending thru the frame, said axle being formed with opposite ends adapted to engage a socket wrench, one of said ends rotating the socket wrench i clockwise direction and the opposite end in contra-clockwise direction, the support for said reciprocated bar and supporting roll enabling the bar to be rocked on the roll to disengage the teeth of said bar and pinion, and yielding means engaging the groove in said bar to limit its sliding movement and to normally hold the bar teeth and pinion in operative engagement.

ALBERT E. MEYERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

